Rear disc on A-body

New cars have rear wheel disc,mostly on the upscale models.
And the rotors and calipers are teensey compared to the fronts.
And then they often still have a drum parking brake.Or a complicated, prone to failure,mechanical application of the piston.
It is all too easy to overbrake the rear with 4 same-size tires, and then you invariably get a spin. So they give you all manner of electronic controls for ABS and anti-skid.
Whereas if they had just stayed with the drum brake, it would have greatly simplified the system.
IMO, upscale cars have rear disc brakes, for one of three reasons ;
1) to satisfy sales. People just think rear disc brakes are better.
2) perhaps to satisfy some assembly-line speed
3) perhaps to satisfy a lawsuit when their 160mph car crashes on a 65mph roadway. For some reason, brakes don't work when the car is; sliding sideways, spinning, flying, or otherwise not moving in a semi-straight line with the tires connected to the road.Most of us know that after the car reaches a certain angle of 4-wheel sliding, there is no recovery unless by supernatural intervention and after 50/60 mph, the window of opportunity is very small, and no amount of rear brake in the world is gonna save it.When the rear lets go you are usually done for. I usually just steer opposite and lock 'em all up, then hope I don't hit anything. Of course I never have, cuz I pick my spots carefully,lol.
It is also my opinion that just because something can be done, does not mean that it should be done. And rear disc brakes on a street car is to me, a prime example.
10x 2s can easily be set up to overbrake the rear of a 3400 pound plus streetcar with 4 same size tires on it.
Now with really big sticky meats back there, well that's another story. But not many are running those on the street, mostly cuz it costs a lotta money to get them in there, and then more money when they wear out;like once every summer.
But if you do put big sticky meats back there, be sure to upgrade the rear brake system too, cuz you can get out of amazingly tuff spots if the rear is braking really hard. But really, it's the 400hp plus engine that makes all the trouble, and if a stock upscale model, it's the 130mph engine in the 30/40mph chassis, that is the biggest offender.And if a CUV, or an SUV, well; drive them at your own risk
The following is not a reflection of what I believe, but only provided for your amusement.
With the conspiracy theory that says world governments are out to get us, it seems reasonable to think that with nearly every person in North America owning multiple cars, that those vehicles need to be designed to kill as many of us as they can, while looking as if the car is not to blame. Hence all the electronic controls and airbags and dependence on hundred year old gas burners. Look, if sea-plankton can be found on the space station, 250 miles straight up,and only over the ocean part-time,lol; why are we worrying about pollution controls? Why not just let it all float away,lol. Then we could have 102 pump gas again and run 11 plus compression engines,with out all the failure prone, expensive when they need repair,control systems.
I cringe every time I am forced to buy one of these modern,controlled to the nth degree, vehicles. I'll take a vintage carbed car any day over the modern do-dadded up money pit on the market today. Just gimme a new-metal, 77 Aspen Wagon, with a small V8 automatic, with disc/drums thank you very much. I'll put some nice shocks on it,and some decent tires, and call her done. Ok well small V8 is somewhat misleading. I thing a 380 should do it. 380hp that is,lol. And a 6 speed auto. And if I flip it on it's roof I'll know exactly who to blame. Not the tires, not the suspension,not the high CG, and most especially not the undersized rear drum brakes,lol.